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HB 6941

AN ACT EXEMPTING THE INCOME EARNED BY A CHILD OF AN APPLICANT FROM THE CALCULATION OF GROSS INCOME IN CONSIDERATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Eleni DeGraw

HB 6941 excludes an applicant’s child’s earnings from gross income for rental assistance, boosting eligibility or benefits for households with working children.

TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR
#children #housing #departmentof #income #rentalassistanceprograms
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Bill Summary · HB 6941

Summary — HB 6941

Title: AN ACT EXEMPTING THE INCOME EARNED BY A CHILD OF AN APPLICANT FROM THE CALCULATION OF GROSS INCOME IN CONSIDERATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Bill Number: HB 6941
Introduced: February 13, 2025
Status: Tabled for House Calendar (as of April 25, 2025)
Subjects: Children; Housing; Income; Rental assistance programs; Department of Housing

Purpose

HB 6941 would change how household income is calculated for participants in the state rental assistance program by excluding income earned by an applicant’s child from the household’s gross income. The intent is to prevent a child’s earnings from reducing the family’s eligibility for or benefit level under rental assistance.

Key provisions (based on bill title and summary)

  • Exempts income earned by a child of an applicant from the calculation of “gross income” for purposes of participation in the rental assistance program administered under state law.
  • Applies to determinations of eligibility and/or benefit amounts that are based on household gross income in the rental assistance program.

Note: The full bill text is not included in the provided materials; specific definitions (e.g., the age threshold for “child,” whether the exemption applies to all rental assistance programs or only those administered by the Department of Housing, and any caps or documentation requirements) are not specified in the summary available.

Who would be affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: Applicants for state rental assistance whose dependent children earn income (for example, part‑time or seasonal earnings).
  • Program administrators: The Department of Housing and any agencies that determine eligibility or calculate benefit levels for rental assistance would need to implement the new income calculation rule.
  • Program budgets: Potentially affects program expenditures and caseloads if more households become eligible or receive larger benefits.

Potential impacts

  • Increased eligibility or higher benefit levels for households where dependent children work, because child earnings would no longer count toward gross income.
  • Administrative changes: revisions to application forms, income verification processes, staff training, and IT systems to reflect the new exclusion.
  • Fiscal implications: excluding child earnings could increase rental assistance costs (or change distribution of benefits). The Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) was referenced for review, but no cost estimates are provided in the available record.

Legislative status and timeline

  • Feb 13, 2025: Introduced and referred to Joint Committee on Housing.
  • Feb 18, 2025: Public hearing held.
  • Mar 6 & Apr 24, 2025: Joint Favorable / Joint Favorable Substitute reported.
  • Mar 18–24, 2025: Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis for review.
  • Apr 8, 2025: Referred by House to Appropriations Committee.
  • Apr 25, 2025: Filed with LCO; reported out of LCO; “tabled for House calendar” (no new file by Appropriations).

Open questions / missing details

  • The bill text is not provided, so key definitions (e.g., “child,” age limits), scope (which rental assistance programs), and operational details (documentation requirements, effective date) are unknown.
  • No fiscal estimate or specific budgetary numbers were attached in the available record.

If you want, I can draft a short list of likely technical amendments (definition of “child,” effective date, verification language, fiscal note request) that would clarify implementation for committees and administrators.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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